On the sleepiness of the middle classes

Those who strive to change the world for the better are often shocked at the apparent apathy of the middle classes. They accuse the middle classes of being asleep, and seek ways to agitate them out of their mass-media-induced stupor. Marten Luther King, Jr. summed it up when he said,

"It may well be that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition is not the glaring noisiness of the so-called bad people, but the appalling silence of the so-called good people."

There is plenty of truth here, but for those whose sense of self-worth rests on the pompous superiority of their 'social consciousness,' it may be worth considering that the middle classes are no more asleep than they. Each of us is asleep to some things and awake to others. Few are so awake that they can 'cast the first stone.' Buddha's last words were,

"Seek your own salvation with diligence."

He did not advise his friends to seek the salvation of others. This distinction highlights an important advantage in the wording of the Eastern Golden Rule:

"Live your life as you would have others live theirs."

We'll never know how much suffering could have been avoided if this--very middle class--perspective had been better known in the West rather than the more popular 'do unto others' version.

Members of the middle class have chosen to play by society's rules--for now, and they hope others will do the same for the combined good of all. This does not mean they are blind to society's problems. They are simply more tolerant of those problems at this time. They tend to value consistency over thoughtless change. This is not blindness. It is caution.

The middle class perspective has its own wisdom, a quiet communal wisdom that those who retain authentic indigenous traditions also understand. Many on the 'left' discover to their great surprise that in times of personal crisis, it is their more 'conservative' friends who show up to help, while their 'socially conscious' contacts rush after the latest banner-of-the-day, far too busy and self-important to pause for a friend in need.

Those who wish to change entrenched patterns of domination could benefit from practicing humility toward those who have chosen society's middle path. They are not asleep; they are waiting. The middle classes need social activists as much as the social activists need the middle class. Each learns from the other.

The best hope for fundamental social change is to begin by understanding, appreciating, and valuing the unique gifts and contributions of the middle class. From there we can build.